Chapter 7

Lila had no idea where she got the strength—she just sank her teeth into the doctor's hand and bolted out while everyone was still reacting. She was in such a panic that when one of her shoes came off, she didn't even stop to grab it. Her hair was a mess, flailing like a madwoman as she dashed down the hallway. All she could think of was one thing: She had to protect her baby. “Stop right there!” Ethan’s voice exploded behind her like a thunderclap. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as her legs almost gave out. Clinging to the wall for support, she forced herself onward, staggering forward. She didn't know how long she'd been running, but by the time she snapped out of it, there was no one chasing her anymore. Her whole body hurt, every muscle screaming, and her feet were in agony—blisters had already swelled up in several spots. Sweat poured down her face from the pain. Lila gently laid a hand over her belly, then slumped against the cold wall. At least… the baby was still safe. For a moment, she let herself breathe, but then Ethan’s cold eyes flashed through her mind again. How could someone be so heartless? Right now, keeping the baby safe was all she had left. But in B City, Ethan’s word was law. She couldn’t escape on her own. If he caught her, the baby wouldn’t stand a chance. She had to prove she was innocent too. Her thoughts jumped back to that photo in the magazine. She remembered the outfit. That night, Ava had called her out, said she was in a terrible mood and needed a drink. But after just one glass, Lila had blacked out. The next morning, she woke to Ava laughing about how wasted she’d been. Thinking back, Ava had been grinning way too big that night. No doubt about it—Ava had something to do with what happened. That night, dragging her exhausted body, Lila made her way to Ava’s place. This was someone she’d trusted for years, someone she’d seen as her best friend. And now, all she felt was cold disappointment. Ava looked shocked to see her standing there. “What the hell are you doing here?” “Did you tell someone to take those photos?” Lila shot back. Ava frowned slightly. When she looked down, something strange flickered in her eyes, but when she looked back up, her expression had completely changed. "Lila, Ethan forced me to say those things that night. We've been besties for years—you really think I don't know what kind of person you are?" Lila was caught off guard. For a second, she couldn’t quite process what was happening. Ava's eyes turned misty. "I’m serious. He pressured me into it. But don’t worry, I’ve been digging for evidence all this time, just trying to clear your name." "R-Really?" A bit of the tension in Lila's tightly wound heart finally eased up. "Of course," Ava said, stepping over and pulling her gently into a hug. "You're my best friend. I'd never hurt you." All the hurt and stress Lila had been swallowing these past days burst out. She broke down crying in Ava's arms. "Alright, enough tears. I already tracked down the guy from that photo—he’s on his way here. Why don’t you call Ethan too, get him to come over? The three of us can talk it out. He’ll believe you when he sees the truth." "Thank you, Ava..." Lila felt like she could breathe again. The cloud of fear and anxiety in her chest finally started to lift. She lowered her head to wipe her tears and didn’t notice the sly smirk tugging at the corner of Ava’s lips. Ava poured her a glass of water. "Here, drink this." Lila had been parched. She took it and drank hungrily. "Now, go ahead and call Ethan. Tell him to come over." "I..." Lila hesitated, her brows furrowed. Just hearing Ethan’s name made her chest ache all over again. "Don’t overthink it. He still loves you, you know. And hey, I’ve got all this proof to back you up. What are you scared of?" Ava's tone was calm and gentle. Lila bit her lip, then managed a small smile through her pale face. "Okay, I’ll call him now." There was a long dial tone before the line finally connected. "Hello?" Lila’s heart skipped a beat. "Ethan, it’s me. Please listen to me—I have the evidence. It proves everything. Come to Ava’s place. We need to talk."